The Argyle
Tuesday, February 01, 2005 @ 5:36 PM The Argyle Restaurant
I was looking at some of my cooks books trying to decide what I could post next and I cam e across a cookbook I have from 1941 that belonged to my great aunt. It was from a restaurant that was called the Argyle restaurant. The Argyle had a heritage of rich living, even before it became a hotel. Built before the War between the States, it was first the ranch home of Charles Anderson. Southern Colonial in type, it followed the pattern of the old plantation architecture, but it was built as the headqurters of a horse ranch. Its builder hoped to raise horses for the United States cavalry, with a ready market at nearby Fort Sam Houston. A man of means, Anderson entertained lavishly, many of the notables of the period having been guests at what was then known as the Anderson ranch. Robert E. Lee and Albert Sidney Johnaton, both later to attain fame as two immortal leaders of the Lost Cause, were guests there, as were many other early-day army personages. The ranch was sold three more times, then finally was bought by a pioneer family in the 1890s named The O'Gradys who came from Wesport, Ireland, and settled in Boerne, TX. It was the 3rd owners who named it the Argyle because of the rolling hills of the section reminded them of their native hills in Scotland. It was the second generation of the O'Grady's who made the Argyle what it was. Alice O'Grady ("Miss Alice") wrote the cookbook to share her cuisine that was made so famous. Several other famous people stayed there before they moved on to fulfill their destinies. Well that is the basic background for the Argyle. As I mentioned I will be posting recipes from Miss Alice's cookbook. Hope you enjoy them! I also want to note that I will write the recipes just as they are in the cookbook so they will be authentic instead of my regular recipe format.